culture

1 of 2

noun

cul·​ture ˈkəl-chər 

1

a

: the beliefs, customs, arts, etc. of a particular social group, place, or time

popular culture

today's youth culture

a study of Greek language and culture

And there are so many nods to South Asian culture throughout the show.

—Radhika Seth

These collections provide an excellent resource for finding a new interest and learning about American culture and history.

—James Lileks

b

: a particular society that has its own characteristic features of everyday existence (as pastimes or a way of life)

an ancient culture

It's important to learn about other cultures.

My art helps to broaden the definition of beauty, promoting inclusivity and celebrating the richness of African cultures and identities.

—Sarfo Emmanuel Annor, quoted in Vogue

c

: the set of shared attitudes, values, goals, and practices that characterizes an institution or organization

a corporate culture focused on the bottom line

There was a culture of success at the school.

Focus on making your office culture a relaxing, patient, and enriching environment with programs and classes.

—Sammy Nickalls

d

: the set of values, conventions, or social practices associated with a particular field, activity, or societal characteristic

studying the effect of computers on print culture

Changing the culture of materialism will take time …

—Peggy O'Mara

see also cancel culture

e

anthropology : the combined pattern of human knowledge, belief, and behavior that depends on the transmission of knowledge to succeeding generations

Culture is a set of beliefs, practices, and symbols that are learned and shared. Together, they form an all-encompassing, integrated whole that binds people together and shapes their worldview and lifeways.

—Katie Nelson and Lara Braff

2

a

: appreciation for and knowledge of the fine arts, humanities, and broad aspects of science as distinguished from vocational and technical skills

a person of culture

b

: artistic activities (as music, theater, and visual arts) developed from such appreciation and knowledge

an area that has been criticized for its lack of culture

Art and culture aficionados will appreciate a chance to check out a new exhibit at a museum.

—Janece Maze

c

: refinement in taste, manners, and thought regarded as being acquired through intellectual and artistic training

3

: the act of developing one's intellect and morals especially by education

4

: professional or expert care and training

beauty culture

voice culture

5

: the act or process of cultivating living material (such as bacteria or viruses) in prepared nutrient media

a throat culture to test for strep

also : a product of such cultivation

Cottage cheese is made by combining milk with an acidic ingredient. The acid could be vinegar or a bacterial culture that will form lactic acid.

—Sheah Rarback

6

: cultivation, tillage

We ought to blame the culture, not the soil.

—Alexander Pope

culture

2 of 2

verb

cultured; culturing ˈkəl-chə-riŋ 

ˈkəlch-

transitive verb

1

: cultivate

2

a

: to grow in a prepared medium

culture microorganisms

b

: to start a culture from (see culture entry 1 sense 5)

culture soil

Synonyms of culture

Noun

• civilization
• education
• accomplishment
• cultivation
• literacy
• refinement
• manners
• knowledge

Verb

• cultivate
• grow
• promote
• plant

Examples of culture in a Sentence

Noun

In this new view, genes allow the human mind to learn, remember, imitate, imprint language, absorb culture and express instincts. —Matt Ridley, Time, 2 June 2003

Such an explanation seems sensible to a technologically advanced and ruthlessly competitive culture like our own, where anybody who fails to get at least a college degree … risks spending a life busing tables or telemarketing. —Natalie Angier, New York Times, 2 July 2002

Underlying the question "Is this as good as it gets?" was a female j'accuse—against a consumer culture where values like caring had been severely discounted. —Susan Faludi, Newsweek, 8 Jan. 2001

a study of Greek language and culture

Her art shows the influence of pop culture.

It's important to learn about other cultures.

The company's corporate culture is focused on increasing profits.

an area that has been criticized for its lack of culture

Verb

The virus is cultured in the laboratory from samples of infected tissue.

culture bacteria in laboratory dishes

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

For a writer of a book that’s politically informed and deals with culture and history, this creates a big problem. —Literary Hub, 4 Nov. 2025

Perhaps even the idea of an upscale magazine in the mold of Vanity Fair is simply less meaningful in a contemporary media landscape where celebrities constantly churn out their own content and popular culture is fragmented across a landscape of mid-sized creators. —Max Tani, semafor.com, 3 Nov. 2025

Verb

Nuclear weapons are in the zeitgeist, but can culture stir public demand for real-world progress once again? —Ernest J. Moniz, Variety, 23 Oct. 2025

The program gives team members the chance to experience different roles, properties, and cultures first-hand, building skills and strengthening connections across the region, and—in the process—strengthening the company’s cross-cultural bonds. —Rebecca Ann Hughes, Fortune, 9 Oct. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Noun and Verb

Middle English, cultivated land, cultivation, from Anglo-French, from Latin cultura, from cultus, past participle — see cult

First Known Use

Noun

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 6

Verb

1510, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing culture

• cancel culture
• co-culture
• culture shock
• Maker culture
• self-culture
• tissue culture

Rhymes for culture

• kultur
• vulture
• agriculture
• apiculture
• aquaculture
• counterculture
• floriculture
• horticulture
• mariculture
• monoculture
• sericulture
• silviculture

Kids Definition

culture

1 of 2 noun

cul·​ture ˈkəl-chər 

1

: cultivation sense 1, tillage

2

: the raising or development of a product or crop by careful attention

bee culture

the culture of grapes

3

: improvement of the mind, tastes, and manners through careful training

4

a

: a particular stage, form, or kind of civilization

ancient Greek culture

b

: the beliefs, social practices, and characteristics of a racial, religious, or social group

c

: the characteristic features of everyday life shared by people in a particular place or time

southern culture

5

: cultivation of living material (as bacteria) in a special usually liquid or jellylike nutrient preparation

also : a product of such cultivation

culture

2 of 2 verb

cultured; culturing ˈkəlch-(ə-)riŋ 

: to grow in a prepared medium

Medical Definition

culture

1 of 2 noun

cul·​ture ˈkəl-chər 

1

a

: the integrated pattern of human behavior that includes thought, speech, action, and artifacts and depends upon the human capacity for learning and transmitting knowledge to succeeding generations

b

: the customary beliefs, social forms, and material traits of a racial, religious, or social group

2

a

: the act or process of growing living material (as bacteria or viruses) in prepared nutrient media

b

: a product of cultivation in nutrient media

cultural

ˈkəlch(-ə)-rəl 

adjective

culturally

-rə-lē 

adverb

culture

2 of 2 transitive verb

cultured; culturing ˈkəlch-(ə-)riŋ 

1

: to grow (as microorganisms or tissues) in a prepared medium

2

: to start a culture from

culture soil

also : to make a culture of

culture milk